rnrnNewfoundland Ponies's ancestors first arrived with the Newfoundlandâ€™srnearly settlers from the British Isles. Their ancestors were primarily, Exmoor,rnDartmoor, and New Forest ponies and to a lesser extent, Welsh Mountain,rnGalloway, Highland, and Connemara ponies. They were hardy creatures who werernalready well adapted to the harsh climate of the islands of the North Atlantic.rnIsolated from the rest of the world, the ponies intermingled for hundreds ofrnyears, breeding in the seclusion of Newfoundlandâ€™s bays and coves to produce arnsturdy pony uniquely our own.rnrn rnrnIn the past, the Newfoundland Pony ploughed gardens; hauledrnfishing nets, kelp and wood; gathered hay; and provided their families withrntransportation around the Island. The center piece of many weddings in fact,rnwas often a pony and a carriage that proudly carried the bride to the church onrnher wedding day. In the 1970s and 1980s, the ponies were replaced by tractorrnpower, cars and modern machinery. rnrn

The darkest part of the Newfoundland Ponyâ€™s history wasrnduring this period when horse dealers combed the island looking for ponies tornship to mainland slaughter plants. There, they were destined for the dinnerrntables of France and Belgium. According to records, in 1980 alone,rnapproximately 700 ponies were shipped out of the province to Quebec. To protectrnthis special and historic pony, the Newfoundland Government has recognized itrnas a Heritage Animal. It is estimated that the current Newfoundland Ponyrnpopulation totals less than 400 animals. An ongoing effort on the part ofrnconcerned individuals from across Canada has stabilized the population.rnHowever, the Newfoundland Pony continues to be identified as a criticallyrnendangered species.rnrn

Today, the Newfoundland Pony is used for riding, driving andrnlight work. They have an excellent temperament for young people to ride andrnexcel under saddle, and in harness.rnrn